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Thursday, April 28, 2011

American VS Australian Marshmallows you be the judge!! Giveaway

I once believed that everything was better in the USA. As a kid I watched countless american sitcoms, cartoons, and movies and dreamed of one day going to American and eating all the things I watched on the idiot box (TV) because it looked and sounded awesome and must be better than what we had in Australia. Now that I have grown up and a lot has change in the Australian food industry and also since I went to American and actually tasted a lot of these foods, my opinions have changed. Two things that always come to mind when I have this discussion with friends and strangers from north america are bacon and marshmallows. There are many more, but for some reaon, these are the two that come to mind.
Bacon in America is exactly what you see it being in the movies, cartoons, sitcoms etc. It is this weird skinny piece of predominantly fat and a bit of meat thrown in for good will! I am not sure how it can really be called bacon at all. When it was first presented to me, it had been zapped in the microwave, so it was shrivelled and rather chewy, not so much crispy but it tasted like bacon, it just didn't look like it nor did it have that superb rich bacon flavour I am so used to.
Here in Australia, we have actual bacon! You can get a whole strip which is called middle bacon, which is a bit fattier or you can get short cut, which is what I usually get. Short cut is predominantly meat and with a tiny strip of fat for taste/flavour and easy cooking. It can be pan fried(which is best), grilled, or zapped in the microwave too, it also shrivels, but you still have meat!! So whenever I have this discourse, I have to say that Aussie bacon truly is the best bacon in comparison to the American stuff.

Marshmallows also come up often, because of those infamous SMores!You can't call yourself american if you have no idea what one is! As for aussies, we don't really know what one is unless we have American friends, seen it on TV or movies. Due to this favourite camping treat, one would believe that the marshmallows Americans grew up loving would be the best in the world, right? Sure, of course, why not, if you know no better! I tried these well loved American marshmallows, and sorry but they are crap! They don't even compare to our Pascall marshmallows. Ours are softer, melt better and are so good in recipes.
Anyway, maybe I am a little too passionate? Maybe, but I love good food and good sweets and I have to say when something is not good so that others don't waist time and money on the not so good food. I will let two lucky people be the judge. I have two packets of American Campfire Mashmallows to giveaway. Taste them and if you want to add them to a recipe and tell me what you think in comparison to the Pascall marshmallows. If you happen to live in America, I am going to be kind and give away 2 packets of our Aussie marshmallows so you can taste them for yourself.

Marshmallows are a great food storage item. They store well and have a reasonable shelf life. They are good on their own for a energy boost, or in cooking with other shelf items like rice bubbles, biscuits, popcorn, or cornflakes to make tastey slices and treats. They are awesome toasted over the campfire too. Stock up when they go on special!

Giveaway details:
1. Follow if you want
2. Leave a comment stating if you are Aussie, so I know to put you in the draw for the American marshmallows and vice versa if you are a non-aussie resident.
3. Also state what are your favourite marshmallows, if they aren't the above mentioned and how you like to eat your marshmallows.
4. Spread the word, it won't get you extra entries but I'd appreciate it :o)
5.Entries close Thurs 12th May 9pm AEST.
6. I will post winners here, but please leave me a way to get in touch with you,otherwise I will redraw for another winner.
Good Luck and have fun:)

23 comments:

I am an Aussie so would love to try the American marshmallows. I am also a coeliac so I can only hope they are gluten free. Of course that limits the marshmallows I can have, just Mr Mallows and other gluten free ones. (Pascals are not gluten free) so I may not be the right person to judge the aussie ones.

I'm and Aussie and would love to try American marshmallows. I'm not too fussy on what marshmallows as long as i can toast them over a flame while we are camping or pop them into my hot chocolate on a cold winters night.leimaycherry@yahoo.com.au

I am new follower :)I'm in Oz and would love to try the American Marshmallow's, but since no one is going for trying the Australian Marshmallows yet I will put my hand up for them! lol! My Mum and Daughter love Marshmallows and we have Pascall in our house, lots of bags! Mum has them in hot chocolate, my daughter has them straight and I like them cook over the open fire with a nice crusty finish!

Aussie - I make Ambrosia Salad - which in some countries is eaten as a dessert!!! I eat it as part of the main meal (I actually think that that part is inspired by the American's)....and oh ONLY Pascal makes the cut for Ambrosia Salad....did you know Ambrosia means food for the Gods? If the Gods ate food like Ambrosia Salad? I hope there is such things as Ambrosia Chocolate Pudding, Ambrosia Peanut Caramel, Ambrosia Snickers, Ambrosia hot chocolate....you get the picture? Ambrosia Salad seems to be one of the only reasons I buy a lot of Marshmallows

I'm an American who moved to Australia 5 months ago. My very first blog post was about the marshmallows! LOL I miss American marshmallows~Kraft Jet Puffed are our favorite kind. They also have fruity flavored ones that we used for a jello salad. Our fave thing to do with them is eat them is S'mores, but how do you do that with no graham crackers? lol So we make Rice Bubble treats instead.

You can visit my blog at loveausmericanstyle.blogspot.com if you like!

I am American and found your blog searching for a way to find Australian Marshmellows. I hate our American ones. I can tolerate them in certain recipes. I wanted to try the Aussie ones because a patient of mine from Australia told me how much better they are. I don't have a blog, but if you could let me know how to get a hold of some Australian Marshmellows, my email address is powpow1985@yahoo.com

I have been living in Australia for almost a year. Don't really care much about marshmellows not much difference to me...The bacon on the other hand, the American bacon is sooo much better than Aussie bacon. Sure Aussie bacon has more meat but they barely cook it, it's like a chewy piece of ham compared to nice and crispy bacon in the States.

I know this is an old thread now but I can't resist leaving a comment because I have very strong feelings about this topic...you seem to have completely overlooked the most delicious marshmallows in the world, that is - UK marshmallows! I have been living in Australia a year now and I miss them so much. So SO much. I have tried all sorts of different marshmallows here, and they just aren't the same. Pascall marshmallows are hideous (sorry!), they taste so artificial and bleeurgh. I've tried the American ones too, and they're a little better, but still nowhere near as good as the good old British ones. I can't even begin to describe how much better they are. I can't really even pinpoint the difference. They just are so good. But alas, I cannot find them anywhere in Australia. Luckily people visiting me from home have kept me stocked up! Yes I realise I sound like a crazy marshmallow fanatic, but I just couldn't help venting!

No, you are not a marshmallow fanatic by any means, you just like what you like!! I am a little shocked that you think the American ones are slightly better than the Australian ones! I must see if I can persuade some friends living in the UK to send some my way, as now I MUST try these marshmallows you feel so passionate about! Any particular brand? Thanks for leaving a comment:)

As an American living in Australia, I've never had "Campfire marshmallows" until living here. Either it isn't available where I'm from (TX) or it isn't popular. I made the mistake of using them in Krispy Treats and they don't melt. I do not like Australian marshmallows from the texture stand-point. I also find it very frustrating that flavors are mixed. Recipes typically call for regular/plain/vanilla. Coles brand seems to be the closest thing, along the taste is still different but texture is better from Pascalls.

I'm a born Australian and have grown up with Pascall marshmallows. Yet, about 5 years ago in Target, I discovered these Campfire marshmallows in the confectionery section of Target and I must say, they are MUCH MUCH BETTER than Pascall's.

They are bigger, softer taste better and smell delicious! They don't harden or have that yuck crusty outer layer like Pascall marhsmallows and they are not powdery either like the Pascall kind.

Over the last year or 2, I have not seemed to find the Campfire marshamllows anywhere in Australia. I would LOVE to see them return to Aussie shores as I cannot eat Pascall marshamallows again.

I'm a Canadian living in Australia for 18 years now. I don't like Australian marshmallows as they seem way to sweet, too hard, over-flavoured (whatever that flavour is) and they also seem to be very gummy. No surprise that they don't get much use on the campfire - they don't cook right there.

You have GOT to be kidding re: Australian marshmallows. They honestly make me gag. I am in med school in Australia and all of my american and Canadian friends agree - australian "marshmallows" aren't even marshmallows! They're fruity and way too sweet. I literally can't get one down I have no idea how they're on the market!

I'm also an Aussie, in fact I've also worked for Cadbury's in Scoresby (Victoria) where the Pascall's marshmallows are made (along with licorice and many other lollies/sweets.I too grew up on the Pascall's variety and although I find them palatable I've never enjoyed the floury texture that coats them. This is from the cornstarch used to dust the moulds to prevent the 'mallows sticking to them and "gumming up" the machinery so to speak lolI recently discovered the Campfire 'mallows (just noticed the company is almost 100yrs old too, Wow) at my local Aldi store. Although it's only a temporary Easter thing, so once they're gone that's it for another year at Aldi. I have to also admit I tend to prefer the American 'mallows (Campfire brand at least) as I found them to be softer, fluffier & without the cornstarch coating and they also seem to melt in hot chocolate/Milo much better too!It might also be possible to find them in Reject Shops here in Oz too, they often have a few American treats, chocs & sweets. That was where I 1st discovered the Marshmallow Fluff. And having heard about "FlufferNutters" (sandwiches with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff) from watching US TV shows or movies I grabbed a few jars to try making them. The Fluff is pretty messy and difficult to spread (or maybe I'm just a novice lol) without using a LOT of it, but the taste is pretty damned good. And I have to admit that the combination of peanut butter & the Fluff is quite tasty. But I think that's just something to do with the peanut butter, it seems to go with just about anything. As a kid I even tried some slices of tomato in a peanut butter sandwich, & surprisingly they appear to compliment each other well too. Even to this day whenever I make a sandwich with tomato in it (even a ham, cheese & tomato toastie) I put a small amount of peanut butter on the slice of bread next to the tomato. Just beware of the tomato juice drips when eating them! ;)